Organization or bust

Over the past few months, I've received a generous amount of hand-me-downs (thank you, friends). And, due to lack of storage (which is a good thing 95% of the time), I had to make it a priority to go through them all and pass on the stuff I didn't need. Keeping kids clothes organized is one thing, and having enough space to store them is another. One thing I came across that has helped me immensely is the above chart. It was recommended in "The Tightwad Gazette", a book my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas last year, along with many other time/money saving strategies. In the book she recommended keeping this chart in your purse, so you know what you have, and then you know if you need to stock up when things are on clearance or at garage sales. I've been doing it for the past couple years, and it works great! I always know what I have, and when I see a great deal I know how many to buy, only spending what is necessary. In going through the bags of clothes I had now, I found that I'm set for the boys until they are 6 for most things and E until she's 2. That is a big load off my brain and my budget for fast growing kids. If they outgrow something, just reach into the next size bag and find what is needed. I love it when people share good ideas with me, and hope this can be of help to you too!

My Latest Project

Typically sewing is something I save for winter, but since we had a rather gray rainy week last week, I took on a project that has been waiting for a few months. Shortly after baby E was born, we were in my favorite store, Walmart, and I told the boys they could pick out a gift for her. Although the Thomas the Train blanket was much more tempting, they finally decided on this Care Bear one because L said, "because pink is for durls (girls)". They were thrilled each time we used it, but it had one major drawback. A nice silky back which made it slide off the carseat while it should have been covering her, and if I was holding her with it she was like holding onto a wet bar of soap. Something had to be done, or else we'd never use it again. I looked around for some flannel to match, but found nothing I liked that matched it. Then, while back at Walmart I noticed that the blanket had matching receiving blankets that went with it. Great, except they were too small (a good 10 inches too small on one side, the other side was fine). I shopped online, found nothing...so went back and got the receiving blankets. I then pieced them together matching to make them big enough for the back, and then hemmed the edges. The blanket looked good but something was missing. That nice silky edge. Babies love that. So, I went to the fabric store to get some thick ribbon to trim it with, only to realize that ribbon doesn't nicely go around curved corners which this blanket had 4 of. That could be trickier than my sewing skills allowed. So, I called my sister-in-law who sews a lot, to see what she recommended, and she thought making a bias tape out of the satin back would probably be the best bet for the corners (and would use up the satin, which I likely wouldn't use for anything else). Out came my rusty math skills, so I could figure out the yardage, and then figure how many strips and how wide I would need of the satin cut diagonally. I cut strips, sewed them together, ironed them into bias tape and sewed on one side. I tried sewing the other side, but was unable to get a neat top stitch since the fabric was so slippery. I decided to just stitch it by hand from the inside, and that worked great. It took a bit longer, but the blanket turned out just as I had hoped, and we use it all the time now. The boys are still proud when we use it, and E loves sucking on the silky edge. Whew. I'm not much of a sewer, but am glad it turned out.

Vain babblings

One think I find a bit absurd about blogs, is that one tends to talk about them self a lot. I could talk about my children, but usually only Grandma cares to hear too many tales about them. So, it's hard to write about other things, since my life right now consists of myself (stuck with her every day) and my kids (with them every day) and my husband (who likely wouldn't want a play by play of his day). So that leaves me with thoughts, new information I've found and situations that I may run into.

Today I don't have much to offer, except one new bit of info that may come in handy someday for you. This past spring we had a coughing kid for months. If it wasn't one kid it was another, and the coughing didn't end when spring or summer showed up like I'd hoped. Tried every cough medicine and home remedy and went to the doctor, as you may recall from earlier posts. They all helped a bit, but not enough to get us better. Well, we're finally better. It's only August. The rain should be here in a few weeks again.

At that time I had asked for suggestions, and one friend mentioned putting Vick's Vaporub on her daughters chest, and that helped immensely. She added that her daughter hated it, so she usually waited until she was asleep and then snuck it on. I recalled hearing something about putting garlic on people's feet for various reasons and how fast it was absorbed into the body. So...I did a search of our good friend the "information superhighway" and found that study after study showed that Vick's on the feet works extremely well for coughs. I had to try it. My boys were still coughing pretty regularly, and so at the first sign I would go in, put some on their feet bottoms, and voila! Coughing stopped in a minute or less and no more coughing all night. Everytime. I started putting it on them at bedtime, and no coughing all night. This was amazing. Now that I've had success enough times, I feel it okay to share that it works. I wouldn't have believed it would work so fast or so painlessly. You don't even have to wake your kid up, unless of course they are in one piece fuzzy pajamas then of course it's a bit more complex. My new hero, kind of like my sister-in-law's Kool-Aid hero. By the way, I tried it Amy, and now have a sparkling dishwasher ;)

I long for a date with some water

One of my favorite things in the world to do is swim. I just love swimming. Always have, always will although now I prefer my water a lot warmer than when I was a child. How many times have I been swimming since my kids came in the picture. Umm...none. Taken them swimming yes, but actually put on my goggles and just swam...no. Today as the sun is shining so brightly, it makes me yearn to do just that. And I mean my heart hurts I want to so bad. Go to an outdoor Olympic sized pool, put on my goggles and just start gliding through the water. You get a tan at the same time, and it does something for every aspect of your well being. I used to go every day of the summer when I lived in Red Deer, and then would switch to indoor in the fall, which is just about as enjoyable. I hate exercise, but when it's swimming, it doesn't even feel like exercise because I enjoy it so much. Lap after lap after lap until I reached a mile (32 laps or 64 lengths of a 50 meter pool). It was amazing and I'd love to have that again someday when my baby doesn't need me every 15 minutes. And I likely couldn't do more than 1 lap without being thoroughly exhausted at this point. But, I have different enjoyments at this stage of life, so will just have to wait again and someday swimming will enter my life again. If it doesn't enter willfully, I'll just have to force it back in. I just wish I loved running that much. Would make things a lot easier in the exercise department.

PS. I actually had one day that I was rather grouchy and my sister who lived with me ordered me, "you're going swimming." After I got out of the pool and she picked me up and I was singing, "ha, ha, ha beautiful Sun-un-day, this is my, my, my beautiful day!" (Christy Lane) It works wonders.

Reading

As I've posted before, I have a difficult time with books and/or reading. I grew up a non reader in a family full of readers. I remember many evenings as a kid where the whole family would be in the living room, each in our own book on a winter night, me only because no one would play a game with me which was what I would have preferred to be doing. Part of it was living as far out as we did, but another was a quest for knowledge that comes from both sides of the family. My brother was known to read encyclopedias cover to cover, and to this day knows something about pretty much everything (hint: don't try to argue with him, because you won't win, he's got the facts!) My sister won the read-as-many-books-as-you-can-in-the-summer at the library every summer, and my mom had to vouch that she actually did read the stacks she checked out. I usually read one book per year, and that was through a forced effort by my mom who thought it would be good to expand my imagination a little bit. But, I learned my information in other areas. I'm a super good eavesdropper, and have been since I was a little girl. It's helped me do my many jobs well, as you always know what is going on. I've never been a gossip eavesdropper, just wanting to learn facts and get the information the adults were sharing among themselves to be better informed.

This brings me to what I'm thinking of today. The other day we went to visit my double aunt and uncle (dad's brother married mom's sister) and I was discussing some books with my aunt. She says to me, "sounds like you are an information junkie like your mom and us aunts". I agreed, that I do love reading informational books. She then said, "the problem with all of us is not that we love getting information, but that we feel we have to share it once we have it". Yep, that is true too. She went on, "and people get sick of hearing our information. My kids tell me not to give them any more books, because they haven't read the last ones I gave them." Ouch. So true. I typically don't give out too many books (but my aunts all do, and I probably will by the time I'm their age, so be warned), because I don't read too many but I do like to share my information. It bugs me so bad when people like to be mainstream and remain ignorant. Bug, bug, bugs me. Think outside the box. Do your own research, don't just trust what one person says. Find out for yourself! I do like to gain more information every day though, so if I ever sound like I know what I'm talking about, and have misinformation, please correct me. If I'm talking about something confidently, I've usually done my research, but if someone else has better facts showing me something different, I love to hear them. Either to open my eyes to other options, or to just get a good debate going too. (my sincere apologies to anyone who may have been unwillingly on the receiving end of this trait)

Although I often lament that I don't get a chance to read a novel, I actually don't mind. I find when I do, I waste a lot of valuable time, and then have nothing to show for it in the end. Then I regret that I spent that much time reading something that didn't benefit me in any other way than the enjoyment I get out of the time reading it (usually when I should be sleeping and then my kids pay because I'm grouchy the next day). Which brings me to another thing my aunt said, which she learned when Grandpa and Grandma lived with her. She was going to read them a novel one day (they were both almost blind by now) and Grandpa asked her, "is this a true book?" She said, "No" and he said "well, why don't you find something true to read?" He quoted Philippians 4:8 to her which says, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." I'd never heard that reason for reading non-fiction before, but I do know that Grandpa was one of the most avid readers as they come, and probably never read any fiction in his life, and never missed it either. There is much fiction that is fact based, or teaches lessons, or supports Biblical teaching but probably most of the benefits of those type of books can be found in biographies or historical books.

Anyways, speaking of "should be sleeping", that is what I should be doing right now. More thoughts another day, and I'm still pondering the fiction/nonfiction pros and cons.

School time

As we enter the beginning of a new school year, I get excited. But then I remember that I have another year before anyone gets 'schooled'. I remember as a child the new pens and papers and lunchboxes (if we needed them) and waiting for the bus to come those chilly mornings. As a mom, I've kind of stagnated as far as education goes, although I have learned alot about many other mom related things. So, to me I am excited to start homeschooling next year. L wants to learn to read right now, so maybe we'll begin this fall, and use this coming year to learn all about what direction we want to go to start the schooling next fall if he's ready. There are so many options, as well as reasons to home school, but our main one is the extra time we get to spend with our kids. There's cumulitive of 4 years of time before they turn 18, that otherwise would be spent with someone else in a classroom. And I happen to enjoy my kids- their help and their company, and am very excited to get back in education mode to see what we can learn as a family.

In case you still don't know much about homeschool, there are many reasons people do it. From the Washington State Homeschool Assn., here are a few:

• Parents are with their children all day.
• Parents know and understand their children, and are influential in their lives, even as they enter the teen years.
• Homeschooling prevents premature parent-child separation, avoiding inappropriate pressure on children.
• Children are allowed to mature at their own speeds, no "hurried child" syndrome.
• Parents and other adults are the primary role models for homeschooled children.
• Homeschooling provides positive and appropriate socialization with peers and adults.
• Homeschooled children are largely free from peer pressure.
• Homeschooled children are comfortable interacting with people of all ages.
• Homeschooled children view adults as an integrated part of their world and as natural partners in learning.
• Family values and beliefs are central to social, emotional and academic development.
• Family life revolves around its own needs and priorities rather than the demands of school.
• Homeschooling creates/maintains positive sibling relationships.
• Homeschooling promotes good communication and emotional closeness within a family.
• Research shows that the two most important factors in reading and overall educational success are positive home influence and parental involvement; homeschooling provides both.
• A child's natural thirst for learning is nurtured, not squelched, and learning becomes a lifelong joy.
• Each child's education can be tailored to his or her unique interests, pace, and learning style.
• Homeschooling children have time to pursue their special interests and talents.
• Homeschoolers enjoy unlimited educational resources; the world is our classroom, and resources abound in the community.
• Homeschooling provides a high adult/child ratio for the student.
• Homeschooled children become independent thinkers who are secure in their own convictions.

I'd like to add going on field trips as often as possible, and going on vacations in the off season to avoid the crowds too. That's what I look forward to most.

One year of blogging

I'll have to start reading my old posts, since it looks like it's been a year since I've started this blogging thing. My journal has seen the light a couple times, but most of my thoughts have been put down here. I wonder what I've learned, and hope that it's something. I just know I was making pickles last year at this time, and yesterday made some more. Lots of work, but I did discover why I put myself through the effort. It's because as a mom, the jobs you do don't show in a tangible way. You change a million diapers, make a million meals, wash loads of laundry and they all disappear as quickly as the effort has been put forth. Canning gives you something to show for your work. Just as painting a room or other such tasks that aren't so necessary, but definitely more enjoyable.

The flavor of home canning/freezing can't be beat, and we try to soak up what is good in the Pacific Northwest while we can, since the winter tends to be a bit dark and dreary. Opening a jar of canned peaches is sure to cheer you up on a winter evening.

Healthcare opinons

I was recently asked (and had been thinking of this myself due to proposed health care reforms) what the pros and cons of a "socialist" form of health care are. Having worked in both types of systems, as well as being a patient in them both, here's what I see:

Pros to Canada medicine:
-Everyone gets the same care
-Consistency in care (much higher standards of care due to everyone works for the same "employer")
-No out of pocket expenses = less planning for health care needs
-Lower overall cost for health care due to government refusing to pay more for services, referral order of operations (its run kind of like Cigna, Kaiser programs work)
-Less lawsuits because you likely wouldn't win anyways (keeps costs low too)
-Doctors use much more signs/symptoms and physical assessment as opposed to diagnostic testing for everything (much more accurate, much less cost)

Cons:
-Higher taxes
-Longgggg waiting lists for scheduled procedures (knee replacements, cataracts, etc)
-Overuse of system because it's "free" (initiate small co-pay could solve)
-Less choice in doctors or facilities, you take what you get. Although I've also found that it doesn't matter, because the care is pretty much the same wherever you go.
-It's easier to go to the doctor than use home remedies, and natural choices (although ironically the natural field is much more widely accepted overall)
-Illegals using free health care

Pros to the US system:
-More choice in doctors and facilities
-Freedom to have insurance or not, your money goes where you want it to (although I have seen many times the people who don't "believe" in insurance, use the social programs in cases of catastrophic health costs, so do those people really believe what they are promoting?)

Cons:
-Little/no consistency between hospitals/care/procedures
-Cost, cost, cost (insurance companies have driven prices through the roof, and the middle class entrepreneur pays for it)
-Prices high also because of lawsuits (eg. Having a baby costs 3 times as much in the US than Canada, that's 3 times!!)
-People overusing system because "I've pay good money for insurance and I'm going to use it"
-Illegals using free health care
-Diagnostic testing for everything due to possible lawsuits
-Very high malpractice insurance premiums for doctors, driving up prices
-No control on pharmaceutical industry pricing/FDA ethics (read "The Sanctity of Human Blood" for more information)
-People without insurance leave ailments much longer to avoid going to the doctor, causing the problem to be much worse than if nipped in the bud.

So, overall...I would say both systems have good and bad, and really can't say whether one is better than the other. The US military runs their own health care, not sure what the people think of that, or if it is cost effective. I would say the standards of care are much higher in Canada (I only recall one incompetent/unsafe nurse, where I've run into many in the AK and AZ hospitals I've worked in) Not sure why that is. I know continuing education standards are higher in Canada. But also, nurses are all union, so we couldn't fire the bad one we had (we tried). In the US, you just go work for a different hospital until you wear out your welcome there. Also, in the US you get people going into nursing for the benefits, rather than for wanting to help people/because their heart is in it. Although in Canada people get in it for the money too. I think it's a wash in the end.

But, I guess the ultimate question right now is, do I support Obama's health care reforms?? No, no, and no! Reform the drug companies and the insurance companies? Yes, yes, yes. Make them accountable? Yes! Make them pay the prices they ask of us? Yes!

The meaning of a ring

A friend of mine just got engaged, and seeing her smile with her ring just would make any of us happy. So, I began looking at my own wedding ring, and thinking how often we wear them, but don't really think about what they mean to us. It means the obvious, which is the commitment we've made to our spouse, and also the love we have for them as well as their love for us.

My favorite diamond is an emerald cut, which I had requested when Greg asked me what I wanted in a ring (I also wanted one that didn't "harbor germs" so that I could wear it to work). He had mine made especially to that criteria, which I've been very pleased with. I just love the emerald cut because to me it means endless opportunities. Looking into one, it just seems to go on and on and on. Kind of like Alice in Wonderland when she opened the door. So I look at it as our life is full of endless opportunities together, and we don't know what road we'll take or where we'll end up. But, it'll be beautiful as long as we're together (and the sun shining helps it sparkle more)

My ring means alot to me also because my dear husband sold 2 guns (one of them his very favorite) to get the money to buy me the ring. That is sacrifice, if you happen to know how much he likes guns. I was able to buy the favorite one back for him later for Christmas, since I found out who he sold it to.

A ring also helps when you're single, so that if you see a cute guy, you know if he's taken or not. It can be a hazard also, as many men have found in their jobs. But...that's all for tonight...not too 'brilliant', but what was on my mind.

Personality traits and other babble

I don't really have to much exciting going on here tonight, but am more enjoying a quiet house for a few minutes before bed. It's been rather warm out, hot as some would say, but I've not minded in the least. We do have a window air conditioner to keep from getting too sweaty, but the house is warm no matter which way you look at it. The only time I get too warm is holding baby E, as her body heat seems to multiply mine.

She has reached the 3 month mark, the magical date in which everything is supposed to get better, namely feeding and sleeping. Well, I have to say that feeding slowly getting better, but still not A-1. She is getting chubby, and is happy for the most part, so that is the main thing. Sleeping at night is awesome. Just awesome, compared with the boys. It's the day time that's difficult, since she doesn't care to nap. So, I try to keep her up later, and should be waking her up earlier (who can wake a peacefully sleeping baby, when there's stuff to be done? Just can't do it) so that she'll nap better. I spend many hours a day putting her down for nap, and then she sleeps 15, maybe 20 minutes and she's up again. It wouldn't be a problem, except that she's crabby when she's up. What to do...I'm sure it will get better.

Due to this lack of nap thing, or maybe it's just her personality, she has very "fragile nerves". It seems that if she gets scared (loud voice, unexpected brother jumping, door slamming, etc) she'll scream for a good 10 minutes. She screamed so much the other day that she was dripping sweat down her face and there was nothing Greg or I could do to calm her down. I'm hoping this isn't a lifetime thing, but I do wonder when you notice specific personality traits and girl/boy differences. Each child is different, and when you look back you can see how each one was from a little baby, so I'm curious if this is one of those things we should note. If it is, I do wonder which side of the family to blame for it. Ha, ha!

Do We Dare??

Greg and I are avid campers. Or should I say were. B.C. That stands for Before Children. We own 3 tents, lanterns, percolating coffee maker, ultra-plush mummy bags good to 0*F and all the other paraphernalia that camping entails. We did plenty when we were first married, as well as many years of it in our single days. Well, I have to admit that I've had a bad habit for going camping and then pretending to sleep in the morning until I could hear coffee bubbling and bacon frying. I mean, who wants to get out of their warm sleeping bag to start a fire at the crack of dawn. My rule was "I'll go camping as long as I don't have to get up first in the morning". With the sun up and birds chirping as early as they do in the Alberta summer, you have to fake sleep for a while if you want to not get up first.

Since having children, we've had one disaster after another, starting with camping in AZ when L was a baby. Being an Arizona baby, he had few warm clothes (well, 1 warm clothing item, to clarify), and one hat. We went camping in northern AZ, and got up there, and it was getting chilly in the evening. I changed L into his 1 warm outfit, only to have him have a major diaper blowout minutes later. Hmm. Nothing else warm. Well, we layered his other stuff, but then I was concerned that he'd be cold all night since the 1 hat he owned was too small. I neglected to check that before we left too. So, as a new mom, I was up most of the night worried about this little guy, and was pretty tired by morning. (we sleep on an airbed, which is not a good choice for people with children, so I couldn't bring him in bed with us to stay warm, as the bed tends to get canyons in it that are impossible for babies to get out of safely) Oh, and did I mention that we were all loaded up in our 4 Runner ready to go, only to have it not run, so we had to unload everything into our other 4 Runner and then Greg and my brother had the joy of fixing the car when we got home. The only good part of the trip was that I had Greg and my brother watch L in the morning so I could get a couple hours of sleep, and they rigged up his carseat with some rope between 2 trees and made a wonderful swing for him. Necessity is the mother of invention they say.

The other times we've camped, we've had kids wake up many times a night because they would hit the side of the tent and the crinkling has woken them up. We had a toddler get dehydrated => crying all night because he was constipated, diaper leakage (again) with a whole wet bed to change...the list goes on.

But, I'm not willing to give up yet. Baby E sleeps quite well at night, so I asked my sweetie if he'd be willing to try camping again. He agreed, so we set up the tent in the back yard. Last weekend we had a very successful night sleeping out there, and last night was a success again. The kids wake up pretty early, since it gets light so early, but then take longer naps, so that is fine. We all feel refreshed from the fresh air, and then come in the house as needed. I'm hoping we can keep this up, and maybe someday even venture further than the driveway. Oh, the dreams...

Woodstove whereabouts

After

Before
It seems like we wait all winter for the rain to stop, and then when it does we pack it full of fun things, as well as the work that goes along. Since moving here, we've been looking for a woodstove to supplement our heat in our house. We've scoured craigslist and want ads frequently, but very few used stoves have been in our price range (most are almost new price) and they have to be certified for a manufactured home. So, after 3 years we finally found one out in Warrenton on a Friday afternoon. After calling the owner, we made plans to run out there (1 1/2 hour drive) and take a look. We get there, and it was in a bit worse condition than explained, but still doable. The owner had taken it out of his house last fall, and then nicely left it in the rain all winter. Steel + rain = plenty of rust. So, Greg and his friend G (who we brought along to help lift the thing if we bought it) talked the guy down a bit, gave him his cash and then lugged the stove into the back of our van. What a load, as G's girlfriend was along too, making it 7 people and a 300 lb stove with pipe. We then stopped in Astoria to see the boat G was going to be going tuna fishing on, and proceeded home. After all our visiting and whatnot, we arrived rather late, but we had our stove! Greg grinded most of the rust off, polished the brass, painted it, and now all we needed was a stovepipe and such to finish. Sounds simple, but it turned out more complex than planned as not all pipe is created or priced equal. We finally ended up getting it from Jeremy at Ace Hardware in Longview, where he gave Greg lots of information, confidence and also a great deal. He's actually the guy who we talked to a couple years ago, who gave us loads of info on what to look for in a stove, and we should have just gone there in the first place. But, always searching for a better deal, we shopped around...only to come back to him. Today Greg is cutting the whole in the roof, and hopefully will have it all hooked up by evening. I can't wait for winter when we can light a fire and watch it through the glass, flickering away with that warm glow. It should be paid for in less than a year of heat savings, so that is what we're especially excited about. Well...I CAN wait for winter, but am looking forward to using the stove. Now for the chainsaw. That's the next investment.

Summer fun

Today our company left (Grandpa & Grandma Somero). As I stood on the step watching them get their trailer ready, it made me sad to see them go, but also jealous because one of my favorite things to do is to get on the road early on a road trip. When the sun is just coming up, the air is still chilly and the birds are just starting to chirp. The traffic hasn't started yet, and it's just you and the open road. Stopping for breakfast a ways down the road adds to the pleasure as well as a hot cup of coffee in a travel mug. Love it, love it, love it. I remember being a kid and my dad carrying us kids out to the truck where he had made a bed with his fuzzy real sheepskin sleeping bag in the backseat (before seatbelts) and falling back asleep with the sound of the truck driving down the road. I hope my kids can have those kind of memories too, although they have to be snugly in their carseats instead.

So, we've had a busy couple weeks, with my parents here as well, Elise's baptism and running here, there and everywhere. I love this time, but with a little baby to tend to as well, I'm worn out. Today will be spent playing with kids, napping (hopefully) and tidying up from the aftermath. We aquired some bunkbeds and a woodstove off of craigslist also, so getting them in our house has created much of the chaos. The awesome weather makes it difficult to clean house when it's so nice outside, but I'm sure I'll get it done someday.

Off I go, to get on with the summer. As Greg mentioned last week, you have to try to make the most of summer while it's here by jam packing it full of fun, but if you do that, then it goes by too fast and winter is here too soon. If you relax and try to enjoy it, then you feel like you wasted all the good weather, and winter is here too soon also. Just can't win, so I guess I'll just go see what I can do to enjoy today.